


Ain't No Sunshine on the Psychic Plane, Darlin'

by notzenyatta



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, M/M, Telepathic Bond, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-22
Updated: 2017-03-06
Packaged: 2018-09-26 04:13:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9861998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notzenyatta/pseuds/notzenyatta
Summary: Instead, he will decay like Anubis, leaving behind metal and the last laughs of death in his wake.





	1. CHAPTER ONE

**Author's Note:**

> Hanzo does some sleuthing.

     Hanzo begins to think he will have to find some way to tie his brother down, or else he may pace himself into the ground, and then to death. Its childish thinking. Genji will not be killed by something as easily as pacing for too long (a pang of guilt as he remembers how acutely familiar he is with this fact) and will surely not allow himself to be tied down. Well… Maybe by Zenyatta, if he were here, but his absence is exactly the reason who Genji is so restless. Hanzo’s mind does not allow itself to become uncomfortable at the thoughts of his brother and a certain omnic participating in such intimate acts (as he had learned from a very drunk Genji early on in their relationship, his partner is “very inventive with a rope, bro, I’m a fuckin’ ninja and I can’t even get out half the time if I try-") and instead sobers, knowing that there may never again be room for anything besides sobriety and mourning regarding Genji and Zenyatta’s relationship.

     The omnic isn’t dead. To clarify. Just very, very missing, and recently suspected to have been kidnapped by a small gang reported to have had interactions with Talon, but “no evidence points to them having any partnership with Talon. As far as we know, they could be rivals.”

     Winston is speaking, looking like he feels like he should put a reassuring hand on Genji’s shoulder but also knowing that in such a state of unrest he could wind up with a shrunken lodged in any number of uncomfortable places. Genji keeps pacing, back and forth in front of the gorilla, seemingly not listening as he goes on about potential locations of the smaller, unnamed group, but theres nothing substantial. Nothing solid. After a while of Hanzo staring and contemplating and Winston trying and failing to be partially comforting, McCree tugs Genji away to try to get him to eat, or something. Hanzo hopes he will be able to, its ben three days of Genji pacing and pacing and jumping at every noise and pacing, not sleeping and not eating and only pausing in his nightmarish cycle to feverishly go over every bit of evidence relating to his partner’s kidnapping. The files are worn out. Hanzo knows that almost the whole team’s gone through them, including himself, hoping to find some way to help. Some bit of overlooked information that might bring their resident monk back. But its fruitless.

     Sometimes he catches Genji talking to himself, pacing and pacing and saying hoarse sounding things, _“Why? What does this mean? What are you trying to tell me?"_

     The worst part is how helpless he feels. When he first came to overwatch, its was like he was walking on eggshells around his brother, and all of his friends. Surprisingly, to say the least, Genji stepped boldly over his metaphorical eggshells, crushing all of them, offering open arms and endless forgiveness. Hanzo hadn’t resisted, and within a few months the brothers were on comfortable speaking terms, not acting like nothing ever happened, but acting like two men who greatly cared for each other but were still struggling with deep wounds. At the worst of times they were fighting, lashing out between every tiny misunderstanding, and at the best of times they were laughing together and talking about anything they could wrap their tongues around.

     And now its like that gap had never been bridged. He thinks back on what Jesse had said only hours ago to him, gazing hopelessly at the ninja working himself to exhaustion in the training facilities, dismembered and methodically disemboweled training dummies scattered around him with their meager mechanical innards spilling out of their metal shells what if they find his omnic like that?

     “Its like I’m lookin' at him when we first met. He was so angry- you couldn’t get ‘im to take kindly to a word anyone said for a year.”

     Hanzo is aware of what caused his brother’s anger, but not of how much he had relied on Zenyatta.

     “I don’t rely on anyone.”

     Genji had snapped when Hanzo confronted him about it with what was honestly all the grace and tact he could.

     “Is my reaction not natural?”

     Before Hanzo can answer with more desperately attempted tact, words now as sharply intentioned as a shrunken fly from his brother’s mouth

     "Are you so emotionally stunted by what you did to me that you can’t imagine caring deeply for anyone?”

     So Hanzo gives him space. Which is why he was unaware of Zenyatta’s return until a day later he finds them together in the medical wing, his brother holding the trembling omnic against his chest and looking like he would absolutely murder anyone who came near them.

-

     Hanzo gives him more space, and over the next few days he manages to piece together the story of Zenyatta’s rescue from what he hears from the rest of Overwatch. Shockingly, although McCree gave the most interesting and seemingly informative account of the situation, Tracer’s was the most accurate, especially when paired with Winston’s official records.

     “now hol’ on a minute, I never said that I saw him run in, I only told you what I thought happened. Theres a difference, an’ you overlooked it.”

     Hanzo pointedly does not roll his eyes or express any frustration. His pointedness in avoiding these actions gives them away to the cowboy anyways.

     “Perhaps you overlooked the part of the story where you specify what was made up and what was factual.”

     He says, and Jesse only flashes a wry, wolfish grin at him from around a mouthful of strawberry chewing gum (he’s trying to quit smoking).

     “Sorry _sunshine_ , I’m just happy to have Genji back. Got a bit carried away with all his heroics.”

     Although Genji was not the one who was missing, Hanzo knows what he means. His brother is no longer jumpy and pacing, but still, although he doesn’t say this to Jesse, not his offhandedly stoic and easily social self. Zenyatta’s mental state is a... different story.

     “The closest I’ve ever seen him like this was right after Mondatta died.”

     Tracer sighs, hugging her knees to her chest and resting her chin on them, her legs meeting her torso only because she’s abandoned the device normally strapped to her chest. It lies a few feet away, pulsating either ominously or comfortingly. Hanzo can’t decide.

     “Genji’s the only one who’s been able to get anything out of him, and even after that he won’t tell us anything. He’s being so…” Hanzo watches her search for the right word. Candidates cross his mind too. Protective, maybe.

     “Hes… He’s freaking me out. They both are.”

-

_13:17 on February 13, Genji Shimada failed to check in for mission briefing._

_16:35 on February 13, Genji Shimada was reported missing from Overwatch Base Gibraltar. Overview of recent security footage shows Agent Shimada leaving the base on foot, carrying a small bag of unknown contents._

_9:35 on February 14, A special mission to locate Agent Shimada was assigned to Overwatch Agents McCree and Mercy_

_22:25 on February 14, Agent Shimada returned to Overwatch Base Gibraltar with Agent-_

     Hanzo slams the file down frustratedly. The official account matches up with what Tracer told him, but theres practically nothing here. It’s been days since his brother’s unofficial rescue mission, and if he’s been called in to brief Winston about it, theres no evidence of that here. Across the table from him, Tracer gives him a tired and apologetic smile. He keeps reading.

_22:25 on February 24, Agent Shimada returned to Overwatch Base Gibraltar with Agent Zenyatta, who was reported missing on 17:00 February 9._

_Since the return of Agents Shimada and Zenyatta there has been no reported complications regarding Agent Shimadas whereabouts. Agent Zenyatta has not yet been reported fit for duty._

     Hanzo rests his head on the table briefly, trying to piece together his patchwork account of the situation. “Thats it?” He asks, head still on the cool metal of the table.

     “I’m sorry love, From what I know thats all that Winston actually knows himself.”

     “He hasn’t talked to Genji about it?”

     Tracer gives him an exasperated look, and he’s suddenly aware that he’s starting to wear on her endless patience.

     “No one’s tried to. He’s just been holed up in the medical wing with Zen…”

     She glances past him thoughtfully, a hesitant revelation coming to them both.

     A few minutes later finds Hanzo in the office of Angela Ziegler, shuffling his feet nervously on the floor. Her office is impeccable, besides for the overflowing an tilted filing cabinets behind her desk. It reminds him of the way Genji would clean his room as a child. His bed, dresser, floor, would all be mostly spotless but got forbid anyone open his closet. However, the filing cabinets that no doubt hold medical records may hold more desperately avoided ghosts than Genji’s childhood bedroom.

     “I’ll be right with you, Hanzo.”

     Mercy says not unkindly, hurrying past him with a handful of what looks like confiscated cigars. McCree won’t be happy. She’s back a minute later, cigar-less and wearing her token smile that manages to convey both professional energy and exasperated weariness.

     They get along swimmingly. Its the first time Hanzo has really spoken to her, and truthfully this is because he had done everything in his power to politely avoid her. Considering how McCree has acted towards him when they first met, him being like a surrogate brother to the one Hanzo killed (He distinctly remembers chewing tobacco being spit at him on several occasions when Genji was not looking, and one time finding a handful of cigar stubs in his quiver), He had done everything he could to avoid interacting with Genji’s friends. But Mercy’s optimism, never quelled by her world-weariness and familiarity with human suffering is somewhat refreshing to Hanzo, as someone who let his disenchantment with existence smother him for most of his life. Contrarily, Angela seems to appreciate his quick but accurate judgement of situations, never letting a hope for optimism dampen the severity of anything.

     “Actually, I know less about the whole… rescue... than you do.”

     Mercy’s pause before the carefully selected word allows Hanzo some insight on her slight discomfort with the whole situation. He’s in vague agreement. Everything about the situation is suspicious, which he becomes more aware of as he relays what he knows of the story to her.

-

     No one knows what actually drove Genji to run when he did, or carrying what he was carrying in that small bag, which turned out to be a small omnic-specific first aid kit, and more strangely, at least ten empty syringes of an unknown substance. An investigation team was dispatched almost immediately after he left, and from the inklings that Hanzo gets rather than what he’s told, the small team was formed more likely out of fear not for Genji, but of what he would or could do. Its not the first time an Overwatch Agent has been lost because of a romantic relationship with another agent, Angela reminds him, and he knows she’s thinking of a Talon agent who he’s yet to make the acquaintance of, but who he still knows enough about to find her formidable.

     Now, the way Jesse told the rest of the story was that; before the he and Angela even began to formulate a plan, Genji had burst through the hangar doors to the base (having used his dragon to actually tear through them, as he seemed to feel it was a more thorough and faster option to get inside) clutching an unconscious and badly injured Zenyatta in his arms and shouting for a medic.

     The way it seemed to have actually happened was that the security cameras around the base had picked up on Genji returning to the base with Zenyatta in tow (still badly injured and lying in Genji’s arms, unfortunately), and Winston had sent out himself and Tracer to engage, with Angela and Jesse hanging back for backup. Genji, in some sort of haze of confusion, attacked with all the energy he could channel into his dragon blade and then collapsed, still holding his partner. The force of the dragons did in fact tear through the hangar doors, although its unlikely that that was what Genji was aiming to do. Four days later he’s still in the medical wing by Zenyatta’s side and no one has even attempted to speak to them. Well, besides Angela, but all she’s done is treat the mostly unresponsive omnic under Genji’s vaguely threatening gaze.

     Angela now swirls cold coffee around in a “WORLDS BEST DOCTOR” mug pensively, chewing on her lower lip. Hanzo becomes aware of a noise coming from outside, like someone crying, but the more he listens, alert and concerned, the more it sounds like its being played through a communicator with a bad signal, interspersed with static and deformed jumps in pitch. The more he listens he can hear gently spoken words in a language thats not english, and not his native Japanese, but it’s spoken in what he recognizes as his brother’s voice.

     “Zenyatta is… not in very good condition. I don’t specialize in omnic care, but if any of my human patients were exhibiting these symptoms I would be unsettled.”

     Hanzo turns to her, something like dread settling heavy on him like a lead blanket.

     “How can I help?”

     She smiles wryly at him, and this time he recognizes something of Jesse’s token smirk in it.

     “Talk to your brother.”


	2. CHAPTER TWO

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Genji and Zenyatta have an important talk. Winston needs a nap.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all got so worried about zen in the first chapter! I know that its hard for people who strongly identify with certain characters to see them in pain, but I promised our favorite bot would be okay!! and he will be!! This chapter has a good happy ending :,)
> 
> warning for medical irresponsibility, and graphic descriptions of violence/torture

_“Tell us about Overwatch Agent Tracer.”_

_Its like every sensor in his body has been crushed into splinters, even when he tries to focus the pain down into each node to make it more manageable everything aches, aches, and twists like snakes, or the brightly colored wires of his chest spilling out. His hands clench and unclench in metal bindings._

_“Tell us about Overwatch Agent McCree.”_

_He wants to ask them to kill him instead, so that he can see his brother and lay his head against his chest, and tell him how he tried and tried, tried to stay alive. Lament over the horrific ending of his existence. Be told that he did his best, and be comforted as only his brother could comfort him, tell tall tales of the old God AI of the past. But he’s scared that if he allows his voice box to come online than he’ll say everything._

_“Tell us about Overwatch Agent Mercy.”_

_Someone’s human hands are inside him, yanking on wires in a way more methodical than torture, and with each experimental jerk his systems stutter, each stutter sending a larger wave of pain crashing forth after it. Would it be better to live a life in which he betrayed everyone he knows, than to be subjected to this pain for the rest of it? Would they kill him while he still has information? If he was to tell them what he knows, would they kill him after, anyways?_

_“Tell us about Overwatch Agent Genji.”_

_The name is spoken with such taunting bile, as if his torturer knows, knows what hearing that question does to him. How much rage it fills him with, you dare speak his name, you are not worthy you sadistic-_

_They don’t wait for answers. They never do. Instead they being to reassemble his disemboweled body, shoving plates and wires into seemingly random locations, the jolting waves of pain shooting up and down his spine with even the slightest touch. Then the single dim light goes dark, and they leave, speaking normally like businessmen exiting their office together, to go home to their families and pets and televisions._

_Theres a theory that when you die, your mind simply replays the moments before your death until the cells in your brain slowly suffocate, each one snuffed out like a tiny candle. Maybe this keeps him alive. There are no parts of him that can sink naturally and gratefully into mud and bone, covered by falling leaves and nurturing the earth his soul lingers on. Instead, he will decay like Anubis, leaving behind metal and the last laughs of death in his wake._

 

—

 

 

He awakens screaming, as he has become accustomed to, and to the immediate sound of Genji speaking in gentle nepali, trying to soothe him out of the clinging cobwebs of his nightmares.

 

“I-I’m sorry-“

 

Curses the jumps of static in his exhausted voice, curses the heated ticking of his chest. Genji takes his hands and soothes rubber-padded thumbs over them, caressing every worn edge.

 

“You have nothing to be sorry for. You know that.”

 

Zenyatta kicks the standard-issue sheets off from where they had become tangled around his ankles. Theres buttery looking sunlight streaming in from an adjacent window, illuminating the tiled floor of the medical wing. 

 

“What time is it?”

 

Genji plucks his phone out of his pocket and squints at the glare of sunlight hitting the screen, and confirms that its late afternoon. 4:45.

 

“Lets go outside.”

 

Genji starts, searching his partner for an answer to his sudden request. Up until this moment Zenyatta had wanted nothing more than to hide his face in Genji’s chest and pretend that there was no world apart from the two of them. To just be confined to their thoughts, their whispers of fear and comfort. Zenyatta places his feet flat on the floor and rises, and Genji rises with him, and would be feeling more glad that his partner is feeling well enough to venture beyond the medical wing, but he can’t shake the feeling of suspicion, Especially when the emotions he’s reading from Zenyatta are… forlorn… but mainly complicated and shaky. As if he could feel Genji rustling around in the shared energy between them anxiously, the omnic takes his hand as he rises. 

 

“I would suggest we go on the roof, but I’m sure that would concern you further.”

 

Genji makes a displeased noise, though he’s relieved that Zenyatta’s wry humor seems to be returning. 

 

“Then lets go to one of the balconies.”

 

Arm in arm, they pass through the base, encountering no one. Everyone bust be at dinner, Genji remarks, and Zenyatta hums in agreement. 

 

“I have to tell you something, Genji.”

 

They’re seated in meditation positions side by side in one of their usual places on the balcony of the west wing, bathed in golden hour’s first appearance. The squirming anxiety in the mental space they share is gnawing at Genji, making it impossible for him to even think of meditation. 

 

“You can tell me anything, Zenya.”

 

He hopes the use of the nickname will ease some of the uncomfortable tension, but if anything the energy becomes heavier. It sinks into his gut like lead, and Genji suddenly feels like he could cry. His mind pinwheels frantically, and his search for information in Zenyatta’s emotions becomes desperate.  _What’s going on?_  


 

“I…”

 

Before Zenyatta speaks another word it all becomes abundantly clear to him, like the first breaking of dawn. Maybe if dawn brought the dread that someone who is immensely photosensitive would feel, but it’s still clarity. The feeling in his gut is recognizable as  _guilt_  and as Zenyatta’s voice breaks like glass over his first word Genji hears the words  _burden, burden, burden_ , echoing in their aura. 

 

And then as Zenyatta grapples for the second word of his planned speech Genji sees the whole thing play out. The way he knows Genji will retract if he expresses discontentment with their bond, the way the Omnic plans to retract himself into a new sphere of nothingness until everything goes black, until he’s put to rest the feeling of guilt beyond burdening his partner, something Genji can’t see but knows, knows its causing Zenyatta more grief than anything ever has. 

 

“No! Absolutely not. None of this.”

 

He stands and moves to face the omnic, something like rage making his hands shake but its not rage at the person before him but rage at anyone who would ever make him feel this way, anyone who could ever twist his mind into believing that he’s a burden for things so far out of his control.

 

“If you really, actually want to break up with me, so be it. I won’t stop you, even after the years we’ve spent together, fighting side-by-side, and caring for each other and promising-“

 

He takes a breath and tries to wrap his head around the situation, tries to handle it with the tact that only Zenyatta ever could. 

 

“You could never, ever be a burden to me. After all those years I spent clinging to you, relying so totally on you, how could you think that I wouldn’t-“

 

he shakes his head, at a loss, distinctly sounding like someone on there verge of tears.

 

“I just… I dont understand. I love you, more than I could ever describe, Zenyatta, why would you ever think that I wouldn’t want to help you?”

 

Theres a very long silence, and the immense stillness that has consumed the omnic before him is terrifying, but the turmoil of emotions he feels coming from both of them, mixing into a disorderly mess between them is almost reassuring. When the omnic at last speaks his voice breaks with uncontrollable static, and he lowers his face to his hands. Genji wants to take that face in his own hands and smooth over every edge and scrape, but gives him space instead. 

 

“Wether or not you relied on me is not important. What matters is that you accomplished something great in your journey to a higher form of forgiveness, not only of yourself but of the person who caused you so much grief-“

 

Suddenly the aura they share goes dark and terrifying and the sunlight fading into twilight morphs cold and threatening, and Zenyatta’s voice shakes with synthesized sobs.

 

“I tried to think of how I could forgive them, but I can’t, I know I couldn’t-“

 

“It doesn’t matter!”

 

Genji says, now terrified himself, because the psychic link they share is now a road filled with a parade of masquerading memories of Zenyatta’s capture, and he sees them now more clearly than he ever has. He sees his torn open chest, sees the glint of a scalpel in sinister light and the sickness of fear and mindless, animalistic panic that comes as its lowered. They’re frozen in some dark place now, the setting sun is gone and he feels as trapped as Zenyatta does, suffocating in the heavy cold and oppressive pain of aloneness. The omnic is still before him, crouched in front of miles and miles of void, shaking slightly. Theres no one but the two of them and the aloneness is still crushing, threatening to shatter his armor and tear open his lungs. He panics and in his instinctual fear does the only thing that seems natural at this point. 

 

He sends out his dragon into the blinding, primal loneliness, hurling his talisman into nothing. Its a shot in the dark, the void even, but his heart is his guide, and even in the suddenly infinite space that surrounds them he makes his mark, sure as the toss of a shuriken during battle. 

 

Green light is overcome by a burst of gold and between timeless milliseconds pass as he watches paper shards of hurt drift into his open hands and crumble into sand, or ash.  _Are they memories? Or just feelings?_  


 

The psychic plane?  _Or was it even real?_ morphs back into dusk, and he sighs in relief as he feels Zenyatta’s warm form in his arms, and holds him closer, pressing his masked face into his neck. Its a few seconds before he notices that there are more than two arms holding him, and he opens his eyes to a familiar golden glow. The twilight is no longer oppressive, and their link is harmonious instead of static-filled and confused like Zenyatta’s nightmare sobs. The omnic tucks his head under Genji’s chin and sighs. The iris slowly fades into the pinpricks of stars above them. Genji begins to notice the cold of February again. 

 

“Thats the first time I’ve been able to summon the Iris. Since my kidnapping.”

 

Genji cups his face in his hands and traces every line with loving attention, then presses their foreheads together.

 

“It may take time for you to become yourself again, but this is a sure sign that your path is true. Would the Iris be harmonious within you if you were unjust in your goals?”

 

Theres a soft, although tired, laugh as Zenyatta tilts his face into Genji’s hand, nuzzling him almost catlike. Genji feels his heart melt for the millionth time. 

 

“Lets go inside.”

 

They stand up, supporting each other between legs unused to walking and comfortable tiredness. 

 

“You’re supposed to say, ‘the student has become the teacher’”

 

Genji remarks, and Zenyatta laughs again, soft but true. 

 

“My dear, I think we both know by now that I have always been more of the student in this arrangement than you.”

 

—

 

“So… You two can read each others minds?”

 

Genji stares at Winston, who is still apparently uncomfortable with the cyborg, as he shifts in his extra large seat awkwardly. Then he seems to remember that he’s the leader, to some extent, and raises his eyebrows, expectantly. 

 

“No, of course not.”

 

“Then please explain the nature of your… uh, thing, in greater detail."

 

Genji knows that on the outside he’s betraying no emotion, but he’s sure that if he were to remove his mask Winston would be able to tell how deeply nervous he is. He’s not sure if dropping his cold and stiff attitude now will fix things or make the scientist think he’s even crazier than he, and seemingly most of Overwatch, already does. He sighs, and tries to make it not sound obnoxious or exasperated. He’s mostly just tired, and wants to get back to Zenyatta. Why couldn’t he have been called in to brief yesterday, when the omnic was actually feeling up to venturing to the common area and getting his ass kicked by Hana and Lucio in a video game tournament? He’s at least reassured that the Omnic is participating in much needed slumber, as he can sense from their aura, and not experiencing any bad dreams. 

 

“In some spiritual practices it is believed that each individual has an ‘aura’, in which you can sense details of their personality.”

 

Winston nods, seemingly interested. Genji continues, a little encouraged.

 

“Basically, its proven that auras are real, because they’re comprised of the field of, uh, electromagnetic energy, I think? that surrounds everyone. But its also been proven that things that are, uh, electric have a stronger aura. So like Omnics… and Cyborgs.”

 

Genji rolls his shoulders, trying to feel less tense. But he’s worried that Winston won’t believe his explanation of his albeit freakish actions, and he’ll once again be the insane sounding man everyone saw him as when he collapsed in front of the base, sending his dragon on his teammates. 

 

“So, I’m not sure how it happened. But somehow, uh, I started to get, uh, readings of Zenyatta’s emotions. But he was really, really scared. Because when it started he had just been-“

 

Genji shudders to a halt, then recovers quickly before Winston can offer any unwanted concern.

 

“At first I didn’t know what It was, but then I started to see things that-“

 

Genji breaks off again, not wanting to specify knowing that he was sharing bits of his lover’s consciousness by recognizing the wires and cords that he has caressed may times before, mangled and protruding from a chest heaving for air that it didn’t need. By hearing the voice that he had marveled upon lovingly many times through laughter and sighs curled and bent into terrified screams. That was before Zenyatta started to force himself not to activate his voice box. 

 

“Once I realized that I had a way to communicate with him, I tried reaching out. He told me that the only way to get into the base was to- to not have a heartbeat.”

 

Genji swallows thickly. In the distance of his aura, he feels Zenyatta stir gently from his slumber, then fall contentedly back into it. He breathes a little easier. 

 

“I still do have a heartbeat, but I, uh, did some research. Theres a drug that’s intended to…”

 

He pauses at the horrified look on Winston’s face and almost laughs.

 

“I’m fine, really. I already went and saw Angela.”

 

“I’m going to have to insist on a second visit, regardless of what you say, but continue.”

 

“Alright, so… uh, yeah. I found this drug that basically is, uh, slow-acting euthanasia? I’m not sure how else to describe it. But it was a clinical trial drug manufactured by Overwatch that was actually supposed to be used for this exact purpose. Of slowing down your heart enough to be presumed dead, for like deep stealth missions and stuff.”

 

Winston’s horrified facial expression intensifies into absolute dread.

 

“You mean Mortempus A? Or Mortempu- Oh my god, did you use the trial drugs in Dr. Ziegler’s archives? Thats been around since Blackwatch was founded, Genji, what the hell?”

 

Genji shifts around in his chair sheepishly. 

 

“Well, uh. Yeah. And I know it doesn’t work like it’s supposed to.”

 

He says, before Winston can interrupt him again

 

“Like, if I was to leave it in my system it would slowly kill me. So instead of letting it do that, I injected a delayed shot of epinephrin right after that, so it would be enough to get my heart working again-“

 

At thins point Winston has his face buried in his very large hands. 

 

“I should just sent you to Angela now.”

 

“I’m  _fine_. Now, as I was saying,”

 

Genji continues, only a little more amused than is totally professional,

 

“I only needed to keep injecting epinephrin until the, uh, whatever it is, wore out of my blood stream. You know, cybernetic liver, helps flush out that bad stuff.”

 

“You are so, painfully, medically irresponsible.”

 

“Yeah, fair. So I was doing that until I found Zenyatta-“

 

“How did you find him?”

 

Genji’s jaw clenches slightly with sudden grief, as the situation once again suddenly becomes very, very real. Theres no way he's telling Winston that he followed the sickening feelings of fear in his gut, until the pain he shared with his partner got so unbearable that he nearly doubled over and collapsed. 

 

"I just got lucky."

 

Winston dismisses him.

 

-

 

His sensors come online fuzzily as he's awakened from the first totally peaceful slumber he's had in weeks. Well, not exactly slumber. Omnics of his make don't exactly sleep, but they don't recharge either. They're set to work sort of like clockwork. When he enters a "sleeping" state, his internal mechanisms rewind, much like winding a clock, and his battery gathers residual electromagnetic energy and recharges itself that way. The former dreams, and now more frequent nightmares come from his memory chips sorting themselves out after a long day, much like the human brain functions, dream-wise. Its more like sleeping than the re-charging state other Omnics enter. And it uses a lot less electricity, as charging is still crucial to surviving but he can go weeks without doing it. 

 

He instantly recognizes Genji sliding into bed behind him and wrapping his arms around his middle, pulling his back comfortably against his warm chest. He makes a soft noise of question.

 

“Shh, shh, go back to sleep.”

 

He almost does, and is still for a minute, lured into relaxation by the soft snow drifting past them outside of the thick window, illuminated by watery sunlight. then he turns around in genii’s arms to face him. The cyborg, now mask-less and having shed most of his ceramic outer armor, presses a soft kiss to the lights on Zenyatta’s head.

 

“What’ll it take for me to get you to rest again?”

 

He says, sensing the questions Zenyatta is about to ask him.

 

“Answering my personalized mission briefing that’s far more interesting that Winston’s”

 

Genji snorts ungracefully and shifts into a more comfortable position. 

 

“Alright, ask away. Just don’t ask about the banana thing.”

 

Its an inside joke they have. Zenyatta is “convinced” that Winston’s own personal aura manifests it’s unnatural bursts of energy into the form of organic matter, which takes the form of bananas. During one mission briefing that Genji was conveniently absent for, Zenyatta and Lucio claimed to him that for the duration of it at least seven bananas had appeared out of thin air in front of Winston. “And them he ate them! Bona-fide aura-matter bananas, Genji, can you even imagine…”

 

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

 

Says Zenyatta, resting his head on Genji’s bicep, clearly lying because Genji could practically sense the light-hearted energy of the question as soon as Zenyatta had thought of it. 

 

“What did he have to say about the legality of the situation?”

 

Zenyatta’s voice crackles a little bit with sleep, (voice box hasn't totally come online yet) and Genji falls in love all over again.

 

“Well, We’re currently operating 100% Illegally, so all legality has to be focused on the potentiality of the government becoming aware of our actions. As far as we know, the… these fuckers have no ties with the government, and if they did, and if we were spotted, we would have known about it by now.”

 

Zenyatta hums.

 

“What did he have to say about your rampant self-medication?”

 

“He called me ‘painfully medically irresponsible.’”

 

Zenyatta’s soft hum turns into a laugh.

 

“How about I go back to sleep if you go to Angela for an additional check up?”

 

Genji grumbles, but affirms, leaving Zenyatta in their room under the thick comforter after pressing a collection of soft kisses to his hands. Angela prescribes him rest, and regular checkups for the foreseeable future. 

 

He returns to a soft bed and a slightly less soft but still soft-hearted and warm boyfriend, who this time lets Genji coax him back to sleep with auratic feelings of safety when he stirs upon his arrival.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> v. long notes we've got here kids
> 
> so I know Mortemphus A isn't a thing. Obviously. And nether are delayed epinephrin shots. But ya know, if genji is a fully functioning cyborg with like a super bod and shit, i figured delayed shots of basically whatever would be a pretty common thing by now. (and yeah, "morthemphus is just a combination of latin for "temporary" and "death" which seems stupid but almost everything in the med field is named after a combination of latin words. And, uh, fuzzy explanations of omnics recharging and why i believe zen is having nightmares. Subject to extreme elaboration. Winston runs the whole show now and he's so. tired. and. done. with everyones. shit.
> 
> i kept my promise and updated on saturday!! yay!!! proud of myself :') I might update the next chapter a bit sooner since i have a lot of time this week and It would be better to do more of the fic when I have the time to, rather than struggling with school and writing because I was too proud to differ from my update schedule :p 
> 
> but yeah like I was saying earlier, I really don't want to be one of those authors who's entire bassi for writing is "blarughhh I'm evil welcome to my twisted mind lets make this character suffer and thats the only way i know how to make my readers feel emotions blaurghhh"!!!! because thats a cheap tactic, and exhausting in my opinion. 
> 
> But alright, yeah, stay tuned for the next chapter which will involve more developing mchanzo and hanzo and genji finally communicating about all of this! Also i PROMISE i have a direction with this fic!! i have explanations and ideas for pretty much everything so stay tuned!!! i swear this isn't gonna be filled with poltholes and shit !!! It has a plot!!!!!! Things will start to make sense as it goes on!!!!!
> 
> thank you for all your support also!!!!!!! I'm so excited that i have readers!!!! your comments make this so worthwhile :00


	3. CHAPTER THREE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> when things take shape it's not always the shape of clarity. McCree gives good advice. Everyone needs a nap.

 

“Yes, but I just haven’t had the opportunity to-“

 

“Hol’ on there, how long has it been since, ya know, the thing?”

 

Hanzo squints, calculatingly. Jesse pulls a cigar out of his mouth like he’s contemplating putting it out, then sticks it back between his teeth. He puffs out a half-assed ring of smoke which hangs suspended briefly next to Hanzo like an omen, or something. 

 

“Only a week, and-“

 

“A whole week? Ya haven’ talked to your own brother, who ya had the opp’rtunity to see every day, for a whole week?”

 

Hanzo purses his lips.

 

“Look, McCree, Its been less than a week considering that for three days Genji wouldn’t talk to anyone! He just sat holed away with Zenyatta, and I believe I was wise in following the example everyone else set by leaving them be.”

 

Jesse moves his cigar around in his mouth, then sighs and puts it out on the aluminum table of the dining hall. It leaves a dim smudge of ash. 

 

“Hanzo… The difference is that he’s yer brother. Ever since ya got here he’s been tryina make good, and when he really coulda used yer help ya walked out on him."

 

Jesse’s voice is gentle as he unwraps a pack of gum.

 

“Even when e’eryone else won’ even look at ‘im, it’s your job as his brother to be there. Now,”

 

He adds, as Hanzo looks like he’s about to protest,

 

“I know more ‘an the next guy about blood not bein’ thicker ‘an water an' all that. But I know that you two can fix things. You had th' chance t' choose not to be ‘is brother, and what’d that get ya? Nothing but heartbreak, as I recall."

 

Hanzo shifts his eyes to the side, but they return to the other man as he is offered a piece of strawberry chewing gum held carefully in calloused fingers.

 

“You got a secon’ chance with Genji. So go on an’ take it.”

 

Hanzo simply stares at McCree, looking less stunned than he feels and feeling more starstruck than he should. Feeling more idiotic than he has in a long time, too, as this man has just put to rest the which was debate waging war inside of him for a week. Jesse smiles as Hanzo plucks the gum from his fingers, and this time theres nothing wolfish about his grin.

 

-

 

It took less time than Hanzo thought it would to get Genji alone. It also took less time than he thought it would for their discussion to become argument, and then be broken off with Hanzo simply getting up and walking away. Hanzo doesn’t speak to Jesse until two days later when he talks to Genji again. Somehow, even though the man’s validation gains him nothing, he’s pretty sure his disappointment would hurt him more than his most recent argument with his brother. 

 

This time he and Genji talk in the common area, rather than their previous space on the roof. Maybe its because the brothers know that if they’re around other team members they’re less likely to immaturely banter, and maybe its because Genji wants to keep an eye on Zenyatta. 

 

The omnic is across the room, slouched in one of the beanbags Tracer had  _insisted_  was appropriate and mandatory base decor. Leena herself is with him, and they appear to be laughing over something on her tablet. Genji guesses that it involves shitty anime, and knowing how in-tune his link with Zenyatta has been becoming, and especially how harmonious it’s been today, he’s probably right. 

 

“I am sorry for blowing up at you.”

 

Genji offers, and Hanzo takes the bait, if only to move past the residual unpleasantness of their last interaction.

 

“It is water under the bridge.”

 

Genji’s eyes light up. He’s not wearing his mask, and Hanzo can’t decide if this makes it easier or more difficult to talk with him. 

 

“Ah, You’re finally getting a handle on those idioms!”

 

Hanzo, in all his irritation, decides that however hard it might be to see his brother’s scarred face, seeing his bright grin that hasn’t changed since their childhood is worth it. 

 

“I do not believe that it what we are here to discuss.”

 

Hanzo says, plainly, knowing that despite himself his fondness is betrayed. 

 

“Yeah, yeah, you’re right. Do you want to nag me about my my “medical irresponsibility” like everyone else? Or perhaps we could talk about something else, like how weird epinephrin shots feel.”

 

Hanzo tiredly runs a hand through the grey patches on his head, realizing that Genji is beginning to sport his own. Premature greying runs in the family, but sometimes he still has to shake himself away from seeing Genji as a much younger man. 

 

“Perhaps we could talk about-“

 

Paranoia finally gnawing through his clothes, Hanzo switches to his native Japanese. Genji cocks an eyebrow.

 

“Perhaps we could talk about some of the stuff that happened before Zenyatta came back. Maybe you could tell me how you knew where to find him.”

 

Genji’s eyebrows draw in a stiff line. He does respond in Japanese though, if only to placate Hanzo.

 

“He didn’t ‘come back’. I carried him back. You don’t have to sugarcoat a horrific event that I was there for, Anija."

 

Hanzo tries not to let frustration get to him, at least not so early on in their conversation.

 

“You did not answer my question.”

 

“I will, but I am curious. How do you think I found him?”

 

“I do not know, Genji. Lucky guess? Ancient spirits? God AI intervention? Telepathic communication? God, I don’t think you realize!”

 

Hanzo drags both of his hands through his hair, threatening to undo his ponytail. 

 

“No one knows how you did it, or wants to consider half of the possibilities! Do you even realize how unsettling this all is? You carry Zenyatta back to the base, half dead, barricade both of you in the medical wing for a week and then return like you’ve sorted it all out! You carried and obviously used or administered unregistered contraband drugs, and no one on the base knows anything! Winston won’t even try to do a fact check because he’s- He’s freaked out! We all are!"

 

Genji looks shocked more than anything, mouth hanging open slightly and eyes blown wide. 

 

“I know you’re good. You’ve been a better person since you were a child than I could ever hope to be in a lifetime. But right now we are all having trouble believing it.”

 

Genji stil has that stupid expression plastered to his scarred features. Slowly he closes his artificial jaw only to open it again to speak.

 

“I, uh, look, you’re gonna think I’m being an asshole, but now I’m not sure how to tell you that it was actually telepathic communication.”

 

The other two inhabitants of the room have gone silent, and Hanzo distantly remembers something about Genji having taught Zenyatta Japanese years ago. He stiffens, expecting to have further injured the Omnic’s mental state, or at least to be at the merciless hands of an overprotective cyborg but to his surprise he hears the Omnic _laugh._  


 

Genji’s face softens into this sheepish grin, and he shrugs fiberglass shoulders under his stupid vintage  _Naruto_  t-shirt. 

 

Hanzo decides that he needs a drink. 

 

-

_This time he’s not strapped to the table. He’s running, not on stilted legs that don’t quite know how to carry him but on ones that are capable, and made of smoke and steam. He has wings, and claws, and eyes and eyes and knowing soul radars all built into his body that is everywhere and nowhere._

_He wants to know what its like to be free._

_He wants everyone to know, every soul in an aluminum shell and rubber padding with joints decaying from years of factory work and lights blown out from dark alleyways and frightful city nights. Every soul beaten into indented spines and chests, every soul shot-_

_Hes at King’s Row, pushing past guards and civilians, omnic and human…_

_“Please, he’s my brother, Please!”_

_But instead of seeing the beloved Omnic lying like a broken doll halfway through an expensive car, lights and organic charm extinguished like a candle, there is only mist, curling around the upholstery and out the car door-_

_“How can I thank you, Monk?”_

_“I am not a monk. Not anymore.”_

_The mist swirls around his ankles like an animal, then something bigger as it begins to dwarf him, arching over him like a tsunami threatening to swallow him whole. It is not longer Mondatta, and he is no longer at the car and King’s Row and the guards and the Omnics and Humans shaking with grief for their leader, but that place again._

_The plane where he can reach out to Genji from miles away and feel his hand in his, but also the plane where he now knows Something lurks. The Something crouches above him, with lazily hidden impatience._

_“How can I thank you?”_

_“What have I don’t to warrant your thanks?”_

_The Something shifts like a lazy tide, and the plane rumbles with it’s weightless mass._

_“You have freed me.”_

_“How?”_

_The Something doesn’t answer, only suddenly surges forward from it’s suspension in gravity, like a marionette tumbling from cut strings, and devours him like the endless sea of the psychic plane._

Zenyatta wakes up screaming. 

 

-

 

“So do ya feel better now that ya did it?”

 

Hanzo contemplates, if only to mollify the cowboy. Jesse is totally aware that he’s being mollified, as much or as little as Hanzo may know that. They sit perched on some fallen tree that might have once been a maple, or an oak. But the thing has been disconnected from life for so many years that all it looks like is smooth driftwood. The midday sky shines through bare branches, as Hanzo brings his chaffing hands to his mouth to warm them.

 

They’re awaiting pickup after a total breeze of a mission, smoking out a half-abandoned Talon land base. They’re somewhere in the United States, New England. From what Jesse tells him, this part of the country is as suspicious as it is cold, with a militia of history and buried magic rumors to encase itself in. McCree has long since given up on finding a cigar in his pockets and now chews on a twig plucked from an adjacent tree. 

 

“Yes, I think I do.”

 

Jesse smiles around the small stick again in that way that’s too genuine for Hanzo to be comfortable. He would prefer if the other man was to return to the regular usage of his wolfish smirk and flirtatious flash of teeth that are almost too sharp. 

 

“What’d he tell ya?”

 

“Lots of things.”

 

Hanzo replies cryptically, than decides that he owes Jesse more than that.

 

“He told me about the frankly unsettling details of his usage of contraband prototype drugs, then a lot about this… psychic link he and Zenyatta have.”

 

Jesse’s eyebrows almost disappear into his mane of chestnut hair. 

 

“Psychic link, huh? Thats somethin’ I haven’t heard before.”

 

“Implying that you… have heard similarly outrageous things?”

 

Hanzo asks, a little hopeful that someone might help him come to terms with the oddness of it all. Its not that he’s in doubt of the link itself. Genji and Zenyatta took turns guessing each other’s specific numbers, food items, and even constellations in front of Hanzo, Who had honestly never thought that he’s witness such a moment as Genji getting frustrated and yelling, “You can’t just think of fucking _Draco_ every time, you normie!” At his clearly amused Omnic. 

 

Jesse kicks dead leaves under his feet, boots scraping against the frozen ground and spurs jingling slightly.

 

“Oh, sure. An’ you have too, Han. I mean, our current leader is a talking gorilla from the moon. Our dear friend Leena can time travel whenever she wants to, Zen’s got those magic balls an’ he floats all day an’ no one knows how the hell that all works. And as for you,”

 

Jesse continues, hefting a boot onto his knee to adjust a crooked spur,

 

“You’ve got two giant blue dragons that fly outta your arm, or bow or whatever whenever you say a magic spell. An’ I’m not sure what they are at this point, cause I’ve seen the damage they can do. They ain’t just any ordinary high-tech holograms.”

 

Hanzo averts his eyes, wanting to feel offended but honestly just feeling embarrassed.

 

“This life is full of weird shit, Han. Sometimes ya just gotta ask ‘why' instead of ‘how’”. 

 

Hanzo is still, staring off into the thicket of spindly trees. Still feeling embarrassed, and more vulnerable than he should despite his heavy bow and quiver full of his porcupine quills. But he doesn’t bristle this time, only tugs his robes tighter around his shoulders. Somewhere in the distance, crows scream out a warning, but to the cowboy and the archer, it means their ride is here. 

 

“Well,”

 

Hanzo says, as the impending hovercraft casts shadow above them like a transcendent god, or a newly-born whirling hurricane,

 

“I suppose you are right. But sometimes, curious circumstances warrant ‘how’ as being a part of the answer to ‘why’.” 

 

Jesse nods, solemnly, displacing his twig from freckled lips. 

 

“Touche.”

 

They climb a carbon-fiber ladder dropped into the thicket of New England secrecy, and ascend into the eye of the storm. 

 

-

 

“Look, Winston, hear me out! There are things that aren’t making sense, and I think that we need to address them as soon as possible. Just because Zenyatta is back doesn’t mean that this situation is over!”

 

Winston sighs, hefting himself into a tire-chair. 

 

“Leena, a lot of things don’t make sense here. But I think for now-“

 

“Damn ‘for now’, Winston! Our friends, _Overwatch,_  could be in serious danger because of what we’re overlooking!”

 

Winston kneads at the space between his eyes. Its not that he doesn’t want to heat what Tracer has to say. She’s been his best friend through thick and thin, and through everything she’s always been a steadfast soldier and a brilliant tactician. But right now, the last thing he wants to do is to delve into this. The worst part is that he doesn’t know why. His scientific tendencies are screaming at him to  _hypothesize_  and  _investigate_ and  _experiment_ , but… 

 

“Doesn’t it bother you that Genji had to stop his heart to get into the base, but from what he and Zenyatta told us, everyone at the base was human? Do you honestly think they were all stopping their hearts to get in? regularly? Do you know how much strain that would cause to the human heart?”

 

“Perhaps They’ve developed a drug that functions better than our Mortempus trial drugs do. Maybe they live on base, and only had to stop their heart once.”

 

“I think they’re Omnics.”

 

Leena looks like she should be embarrassed by her bold theory, but stands tall and proud like she always does, one hand on her hip. 

 

“You think they’re what?”

 

“ _Omnics_ , Winston. either incredibly high-tech Omnics designed to look like humans, or Omnics disguising themselves-”

 

“Why would an anti-omnic group be run by Omnics?”

 

“What makes you think they’re an anti-Omnic group?”

 

“Did you really think they were looking for information about Overwatch? Looking at their… their methods of torture, the questions they asked… This was some sort of terrorism, Leena.”

 

“But what if they’re not? What if they’re something that’s… that’s not interested in Overwatch, and not interested in any social agenda?”

 

Winston stoically looks out the lab window, gaze digging into the sand of the frozen seaside, then plunging into the frigid waves. Salt droplets fly like the sparks from his intense gaze. His sighs and reaches for a banana. 

 

“Tomorrow I’m deploying a covert squad to check out the… base. I know stealth missions aren’t usually your thing, but…”

 

“Count me in."

 

-

 

Genji finds Zenyatta sitting on the roof in full lots, orbs circulating around his head lazily. The orbs in question chime softly in some tune thats familiar, yet not quite placeable, yet not too unplaceable that its irritating. Instead, its charmingly mysterious. The omnic is basking in the morning sun of the particularly warm February day, letting warm gold splash off of his chrome plating and cascade into his lap. 

 

Genji sits beside him, basking in some sort of self-pity until Zenyatta tuts at him, shooing an orb of harmony over to hover at his side.

 

“Elaborate on your current misery.”

 

Before their link, Zenyatta would have been able to tell Genji was moping also. It might just have taken him a bit longer. Genji sighs and hugs his knees to his chest.

 

“The one time that I couldn’t be there for you, the one time that I couldn’t keep you safe, and…”

 

“This wasn't your fault.”

 

Zenyatta says, but he sounds more tired than reassuring. This was why Genji didn’t want to _tell_ him, because he knows his partner is struggling on his own, and Genji bringing up his own self-doubts isn’t going to help anything. 

 

“I’m not fishing for reassurance, trust me. I just…”

 

He sighs and cups the orb in his hands. 

 

“I don’t want you to loose faith in me. In my ability to keep you safe.”

 

Zenyatta laughs, warmly, and Genji sheepishly realizes what collection of memories he’s recalling. 

 

“I don’t ever think I could, not after you’ve taken a bullet for me, what, three times?”

 

“One of those was accidental.”

 

Genji grumbles. He had been trying to deflect it off of the edge of his blade, but slipped.

 

 “Or when you jumped off of a cliff after me? Or carried me for a mile to evade an assassin?”

 

Genji recalls those painful events with a shred of fondness. He had hurled himself off of a (small) cliff once he realized the Omnic had been shoved off of it, and was able to grab him to cushion his fall with his own body. It hurt, but his armor kept him relatively unharmed. Imagining what would have happened to his virtually defenseless partner was worse. And about the assassin…

 

“Listen, you are slow. It was the only way.”

 

“And that time you-“

 

“Okay, okay!”

 

Genji says quickly, embarrassment tainting his lightheartedness, as he realizes what memory Zenyatta is about to dig up. During their travels, ages ago, they had gotten caught in a storm and gotten lost. Before they could find suitable shelter Zenyatta had suddenly shut down from a combination of fatigue and cold from the rain. Genji had carried him to what little shelter he could find in a state of panic, and had refused to relinquish his hold on his companion even after he had awoken. 

 

“It was the first time I awoke in your arms, Genji, don’t you remember?”

 

Zenyatta says, mocking airy romanticism. Genji just grumbles. He’s embarrassed by how  _clingy_  he was towards the Omnic during the early stages of their partnership, not romantic yet but still far beyond a normal plutonic relationship. 

 

“As much as you may have enjoyed it, its not my favorite memory.”

 

“Only because it reminds you of your own rusty romantic skills.”

 

“Shhhhhh.”

 

Genji says, playfully shoving Zenyatta. The Omnic totters, then falls back into Genji’s lap.

 

“My point is that I have no worries about your ability to keep me from harm.”

 

Genji nods, not wanting to broach the subject of Zenyatta’s recent capture again and make their discussion circular. A comforting hand joins his again, and Genji strokes a thumb over the padded knuckles. 

 

“I have faith in you, Genji. I have put my trust in you for years. That is not changing.”

 

Genji nods, thickness in the back of his artificial throat. 

 

“I know."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im a mess of a man. the worst man alive. i promised for saturday updates and i failed y'all. I'm so sorry. its fucking monday. 
> 
> that being said, this chapter was really hard to write, but things are starting to take shape hmmmmMMMMM. theres a lot of dialogue and i know it doesn't flow that well always but i needed to get from point A to point Plot Development ok. and i promised u mchanzo. its gonna happen. 
> 
> the road to recovery aint easy but zenyattas getting there. however i think were beginning to notice that Genji is almost as torn up about this as he is. poor dudes. ill try to shove some more fluff in there as soon as I can, i promise.

**Author's Note:**

> IMPORTANT NOTE: ZENNY WILL BE OKAY!!!!! HES GONNA BE FINE!!!!
> 
> this is the first thing I've ever posted to ao3 so please be gentle! I anticipate this work will have roughly six chapters, but I am not sure yet! I will try to update every SATURDAY, although today is Wednesday. whatever, time isn't real, also, please please i would love some feedback!! Im really new to the fic writing community, and it would mean the world to me to hear any suggestions u guys have, and , also,, tags are subject to change as is like everything else because I'm, terrible, also, you can find me on tumblr @notzenyatta which is a sideblog where i post my, gay shit,


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